This is my last week here in Ireland. I cannot believe I have spent 11 months in this beautiful place. I have this vague memory of me looking out of the window of a Bus on my journey from Dublin to Galway when I first arrived here. That was my first glance of Galway. How I wondered about the whole lane discipline that people followed here, how cold this place is even when its summer, how green this whole area adjacent to the road is, how fat the cows are, all these thoughts running at first then they slowed down and then I gradually fell asleep. Was I tired by the flight journey or was the view so calm and beautiful? I don't remember, but I do remember how still I felt. After I reached Galway I just did what i was "suppose" to do. I missed India, my family and friends, my church everything I had ever known. The rain and cold here was getting to me. I wanted a familiar place to be and I know church was the place. I had searched for churches in Galway on internet and had found Discovery church. I was desperate to go to church. The day I got there I was out of control, tears just rolled down, I had no idea why. When pastor spoke to me, when his wife came to introduce herself, while the worship was going on.. I had no idea why those tears dint stop. But I remember telling God, 'You are same in India and you are same here'.
I had decided I won't make any new friends, the idea was not to get attached to people. Days went by so did the idea of staying to self. I had no idea when I let my guard down and started making friends, I made peace with the weather here, I started to have fun. We played football everyday during summers and in winters we played only on weekends. I broke my hand too.. I experienced my first snowfall here (though it wasn't much of snow). Several trips to different countries as tourist :P made me understand why do people travel to see places... Though you know nothing about the history, or the architecture, just to see something which was part of that particular country's history makes you feel tiny..I remember standing inside St.Peter's Basilica and wondering how huge these sculptures are and how talented these men and women were to create this without the modern technology. Standing in Colosseum trying to visualize the scenes seen in Gladiator movie made me realize that place has seen some of the bravest men in the world and some most coward ones. These men and women are dead and gone, and the ones alive we wonder about what they have created and left for the world to see. For me as a tourist the highlight was not the place, or the what historical buildings made me feel, but how this one man in a small village Oriveto, Italy brought out the kid in when me showed a small magic. I will never forget this man. I guess very few and rare influence the world, leave their mark on this world, but most of us can and will influence our near and dear ones and sometimes a stranger, a tourist for the rest of their lives and this is a great opportunity to bring in positive change or even to change yourself to become a better person.
Sorry, I drifted away from the topic. Did I even have a topic? I just write what I feel like at that moment. Galway is a beautiful place, people are always wearing their jackets, always prepared for the rain and always prepared to help. Yesterday when I said my good bye to few folks at office, it seemed we connected deep at that moment with each other. I knew I would miss seeing them and this office and they knew they would miss "a character". At the end of any journey when you look back, it seems everything turned ok. Those fights, anger or anything that seemed important at that moment was actually not important. At the end of it all it is just the overall experience that you would carry with yourself. and Galway for me is and was a Blessing.
Now to say good bye to all of these places, all these people, all friends you have made is so weird. I'm not a word person and weird may not be the word for what I'm feeling right now. Right now I am seated in bus which is taking me away from Galway towards Dublin airport, and me looking outside the window, its green again, everywhere, with a little of drizzle outside, and my heart again still... makes it a perfect way to say Good bye.
Jeremiah 29:1-: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
I had decided I won't make any new friends, the idea was not to get attached to people. Days went by so did the idea of staying to self. I had no idea when I let my guard down and started making friends, I made peace with the weather here, I started to have fun. We played football everyday during summers and in winters we played only on weekends. I broke my hand too.. I experienced my first snowfall here (though it wasn't much of snow). Several trips to different countries as tourist :P made me understand why do people travel to see places... Though you know nothing about the history, or the architecture, just to see something which was part of that particular country's history makes you feel tiny..I remember standing inside St.Peter's Basilica and wondering how huge these sculptures are and how talented these men and women were to create this without the modern technology. Standing in Colosseum trying to visualize the scenes seen in Gladiator movie made me realize that place has seen some of the bravest men in the world and some most coward ones. These men and women are dead and gone, and the ones alive we wonder about what they have created and left for the world to see. For me as a tourist the highlight was not the place, or the what historical buildings made me feel, but how this one man in a small village Oriveto, Italy brought out the kid in when me showed a small magic. I will never forget this man. I guess very few and rare influence the world, leave their mark on this world, but most of us can and will influence our near and dear ones and sometimes a stranger, a tourist for the rest of their lives and this is a great opportunity to bring in positive change or even to change yourself to become a better person.
Sorry, I drifted away from the topic. Did I even have a topic? I just write what I feel like at that moment. Galway is a beautiful place, people are always wearing their jackets, always prepared for the rain and always prepared to help. Yesterday when I said my good bye to few folks at office, it seemed we connected deep at that moment with each other. I knew I would miss seeing them and this office and they knew they would miss "a character". At the end of any journey when you look back, it seems everything turned ok. Those fights, anger or anything that seemed important at that moment was actually not important. At the end of it all it is just the overall experience that you would carry with yourself. and Galway for me is and was a Blessing.
Now to say good bye to all of these places, all these people, all friends you have made is so weird. I'm not a word person and weird may not be the word for what I'm feeling right now. Right now I am seated in bus which is taking me away from Galway towards Dublin airport, and me looking outside the window, its green again, everywhere, with a little of drizzle outside, and my heart again still... makes it a perfect way to say Good bye.
Jeremiah 29:1-: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
One word, AWESOME!! I can easily say this is the best blog post of yours till date and I really enjoyed reading it..
ReplyDeleteQuite an emotional post . I guess we have experienced Ireland along with you; just by witnessing you live through it and though we may not have been with you through every experience of yours this blog makes up for all those moments. Makes me nostalgic about your experience. Keep writing.
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